Page 41 - NAVAL SCIENCE 3 TEXTBOOK

46 N AVAL KN OWLEDG E

The converted nuclear-powered
guided missile submarine USS
Ohio (SSGN 726). Formerly
the lead ship of the Ohio-class
SSBNs with the designation
SSBN 726, the Ohio along
with three of its sister ships
was refitted as a guided mis-
sile submarine and relaunched
in her new role in 2005. In
its new configuration the ship
can carry up to 150 Tomahawk
cruise missiles and a contin-
gent of sixty Navy SEALs for
special warfare operations.

Submarine Warfare The first of these was the COl1l'oy system. This method of
grouping ships together for mutual protection with destroyers
Historically, the mission of a submarine has been to seek out and
as escort ships proved to be very effective. Proposed by Admiral
destroy enemy surface ships, both naval and merchant. After the
William Sims, the convoy system enabled over 2 million American
advent of the nuclear attack submarine in the 1950s, the subma-
troops to cross the Atlantic to Europe without a single loss of life
rine's basic mission changed. While it still seeks to destroy surface
due to submarine action.
ships, its primary objective is now to sink enemy submarines. The
Second was the introduction of tl1e directional hydrophone.
development of the nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine
This was the beginning of effective underwater sound detection
introduced yet another mission: to attack enemy strategic targets
equipment. Hydrophones could be lowered from two or three
such as missile sites, heavy industry, and rail and other transporta-
destroyers or submarine chasers at the same time. Using a mathe-
tion networks with ballistic missiles.
Fleet ballistic missile submarines carry twenty-four Trident
4,000-mile-range sea-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs). They
operate on l20-day rotational cycles. During their submerged
patrols they operate completely independently. They are permitted
to receive messages, but not to respond. They are manned by two
complete crews-Blue and Gold-each with about 155 officers and
enlisted men. In a typical cycle, a crew will take its ship on a two-
month patrol, return home for a month's leave, have a month of
refresher training ashore, and tl1en be ready to start another deploy-
ment. While one crew is ashore, the otl1er is on patrol with the boat.
Several former fleet ballistic missile submarines have been con-
verted to guided missile submarines (SSGNs) to better use their
capabilities to launch large numbers of cruise missiles against land
targets in any future conflicts. Attack submarines can also launch
cruise missiles, and they were used in this role in both Operations
Desert Storm and Iraqi Freedom, as well as in Operation Enduring
Freedom in Afghanistan.

Undersea Warfare

Until 1917 there was no adequate means of finding a submerged
submarine. During World War I, however, three major develop-
A depth charge explodes behind a patrol vessel along the U.S.
ments established antisubmarine warfare (ASW), now referred to Atlantic coast during World War II. Until the U-boat menace was
as IIndersea walfnre (USW). brought under control, the Allies suffered heavy shipping losses in
the Battle of the Atlantic.